Your Eye Vitamins Report Give Your Body Its Vitamin Supplements Why You Should Take The Correct Amount Of Nutritional Supplements Benefits Of Supplementing With Creatine

While there is no single pill that will restore perfect vision or optimal eye health, there is new evidence from Bausch and Lomb Pharmaceuticals that certain minerals and vitamins may be part of the eye’s normal defense system against damage.

The formulation of high-potency zinc and the anti-oxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A (as beta-carotene), selenium and copper have been shown to be effective in assisting the eye’s defenses against certain degenerative conditions.

The formulation, called OCUVITE, developed by B&L Pharmaceuticals, was based on clinical and research studies that suggested that deficiencies in dietary zinc and antioxidant micronutrients occur in patients who are at possible risk of developing macular degeneration and other ophthalmic conditions.

National surveys have demonstrated that the elderly, the population most at risk for macular degeneration, are frequently found to have inadequate diets that are often deficient in zinc and other micronutrients. The retina normally has one of the highest concentrations of zinc in the body, and researchers have suggested that zinc plays a vital role in the metabolism of the retina. In patients with macular degeneration or cataracts, long-term oxidative damage is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis. Zinc and antioxidant micronutrients may be part of the eye’s normal defense system against oxidative damage.

Ocuvite, containing more zinc than any leading multivitamin/multimineral product, provides the eye doctor with a dietary supplement that may be useful in the patient whose diet is deficient in zinc and antioxidant micronutrients.

Zinc is an important cofactor of many enzymes and an essential mineral for tissue repair, skeletal and tooth development, metabolism, protection of the liver from chemical damage, maintaining the proper concentration of vitamin A in the blood, and for white blood cells to function in the immune system.

Ocuvite and Ocuvite Extra is a fortified combination of antioxidants, select B-vitamins and zinc and is based upon the most recent clinical publications on antioxidants. It is the #1 recommended supplement by eye care specialists.

We’ll keep you posted about further vitamin and mineral developments that may help strengthen the eyes and improve deteriorating vision.

If you would like additional information on the product OCUVITE or would like to order these vitamin and mineral supplements please email us at eyewear@framesdirect.com.

Yours in eye health,

What are vitamins? The term ‘vitamin’ was first given to a group of substances that were thought to be vital for life, each containing a nitrogen-containing component known as an amine. Vitamins are essential for the proper functioning of our body. They help to strengthen the immune system, to ward off disease, and even to improve the overall mood of a person. If a particular vitamin is missing from your diet, it may lead to a deficiency disease.

Vitamins can help prevent diseases mainly in two ways. First, they prevent the deficiency syndromes characteristic of the respective vitamin. Second, they increase the health benefits of the specific vitamin.

Vitamins mainly belong to two categories – fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are those that can be stored in the body fat and hence need not be replenished daily. Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body and need to be taken daily.

The debate has always been whether you need vitamin supplements to meet the body’s daily needs or whether you can get it from a balanced diet. Theoretically, you do not need vitamin supplements. However, in reality, you cannot get enough of the vitamins that the body needs from your diet. Blame it on pollution, blame it on declining soil quality due to intensive agricultural practices, blame it on your eating habits, it’s getting more and more difficult to get your daily dose of vitamins from your food.

Taking vitamin supplements are, therefore, unavoidable. You need to take them regularly if you need to get all the vitamins into the body. Trying to compromise on that could lead to the breakdown of your immune system, and deficiency diseases.

But there are plenty of vitamin supplements out there. How do you choose the best one? For one, you cannot hope to take a vitamin pill and end the story. Because your body needs multivitamins, and pills containing all of them in the required quantities will be real big pills. They will be a pain to carry and eat regularly, to say the least. Again multivitamin supplements should have the correct mix. If you end up taking too much of one vitamin, that again is can cause health problems.

Talking of multivitamin supplements, one cannot ignore glyconutrients, a recent discovery. Glyconutrients are the plant carbohydrates. Though there are more than 200 of these, eight of them are most essential for our body. These eight essential sugars are responsible for some of the most fundamental biochemical processes in the body. Glyconutrients help in cell-to-cell communication. When the 600 trillion cells in your body talk well, they build well too. That means the body’s systems and processes stay fighting fit!

What are the benefits of glyconutrients? Glyconutrients are known for their anti-aging properties. They help athletes in improving their performance and to reduce the recovery time in case of injury. Glyconutrients have also produced positive effects in children suffering from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Whether you are suffering from a medical condition or not, glyconutrients are essential for your body. They help your body heal, repair, regenerate, regulate and protect itself.

So when you select your multivitamin supplement, make sure it contains glyconutrients. They are absolutely necessary for maintaining optimum wellness of the body.

In nutritional supplements, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) set by the FDA is a guideline of the minimum amounts needed of a nutrient to stay healthy, but in numerous cases consuming more may be right for you. You ought to consult your doctor before taking larger quantities but in many cases, additional quantities may be needed to meet your personal requirements. Some medications and medical conditions can impact the body’s ability to absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals and your doctor, nutritionist or other health care provider can advise you what amounts are best for you.

Keep in mind that if you take the right amounts of herbal or other supplements, there is a huge benefit in better health, more energy and greater mental clarity. The problem occurs only when vitamins and minerals are consumed in huge quantities, well over the published RDA. Since many nutritional supplements can appear as if they are candy to a child, always store your supplements in a safe place, out of reach of little hands.

One reason it is important to take the correct amounts of nutritional supplements is that over-supplementation can impact your health and even be hazardous. For instance, if you take high doses of Vitamin E, it won’t be harmful but it can cause Vitamin K to be useless in clotting blood. If too much Vitamin E were taken in conjunction with blood thinners that various medical conditions require, significant dangers such as nose bleeds and injuries that can’t be stopped from bleeding could potentially result. Since Vitamin E is stored in the body’s fat, the impact can be cumulative when consuming too much of this necessary vitamin.

If excessive amounts of calcium are taken, the potential that formation of kidney stones can happen should be considered. Certain dietary issues such as high quantities of dairy products in the diet combined with large quantities of tea add to the possibility of painful stone formation.

Folic acid, when taking the right amounts of nutritional supplements, is very important. When too much is taken, Vitamin B12 deficiency can be masked. Amounts of niacin well in excess of the RDA can damage liver tissues as well as cause gastrointestinal upsets while the right dosage can be very important to good health and a sense of wellness.

Iron is another thing to be certain to take the right amount rather than too much. Some children have been poisoned by overdosing on iron and you should always make certain to purchase iron in a childproof package.

Selenium, when taking the right amounts, is very beneficial. Amounts over the RDA can result in vomiting, nervous system problems and even hair and nail loss. Lesions on the skin can appear. It is very important to take this very necessary supplement in recommended quantities.

Taking doses, much over the RDA, of Vitamin A has the potential to cause serious liver damage. It can even cause birth defects if huge amounts are taken during pregnancy, especially if this occurs during the first trimester of the pregnancy.

Nerve disorders and muscle weekends can result from taking far too much Vitamin B6 over a prolonged period of time. Vitamin C can cause diarrhea and urinary tract problems if taken in extremely large doses.

Taking the right amounts of nutritional supplements containing Vitamin D is important. The result of overdosing on Vitamin D can be irreversible kidney damage, potentially causing the need for dialysis for the rest of the person’s lifetime. Heart and blood vessel damage can also occur when the dosage is much too high.

Zinc, a very necessary component for health, can reduce the body’s ability to absorb copper and mute the body’s immune system response. Immune system response is crucial for the body to be able to fight off illness and disease.

Any supplements, even if they only contain herbs and botanicals, have the potential to be dangerous if not used with caution. Again, if taken in the right amounts, they can be quite useful; just don’t take higher quantities than recommended. Since there is no RDA for any of these products controlled by the FDA, never exceed the dosage on the label unless a qualified health care professional tells you to do so. Also, remember to keep in mind, herbal supplements are not necessarily approved by the FDA but instead, are only regulated.

Brewer’s yeast in huge amounts can cause nausea and diarrhea. Chaparral can result in toxic hepatitis when over-dosage occurs. Comfrey in large amounts has been found to cause liver damage. Excessive use of germanium can result in kidney failure and has even resulted in death so be vigilant about any product that contains this substance. Ginseng can help memory and mental clarity in the right amounts when too much has been shown to cause blood pressure fluctuations, anxiety and insomnia. Ma Huang when taken in large amounts can cause blood pressure to increase, muscle injury to occur and nerve damage. Yohimbe has the potential to cause kidney failure, seizures and death when taken in huge amounts.

It is easy to see why you must take the right amounts of nutritional supplements. The benefits are great when used properly but the dangers, as with almost any medication or natural supplement, can be very bad. Listen to your health care professionals about how much to take and be sure to let them know what natural supplements you may be ingesting so they can ensure your health remains the very best. By avoiding dangerous over-dosage of substances that are healthy when taken in smaller quantities, always read the label and if you doctor has recommended taking more or less than the label recommendations, note that fact on the bottle or package so that you don’t make a dangerous error.

What is creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks of protein) which is made in the body by the liver and kidneys, and is derived from the diet through meat and animal products. Creatine (creatine monohydrate) is a colorless, crystalline substance used in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, an important factor in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the source of energy for muscle contraction and many other functions in the body.

What does creatine normally do in the body?

In the body, creatine is changed into a molecule called “phosphocreatine” which serves as a storage reservoir for quick energy. Phosphocreatine is especially important in tissues such as the voluntary muscles and the nervous system which periodically require large amounts of energy.

Why do athletes take creatine?

Studies have shown that creatine can increase the performance of athletes in activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, and can help athletes to recover faster after expending bursts of energy. Creatine is best for the serious bodybuilder. It helps increase muscle mass, rather than muscle endurance, so it’s not well suited for athletes participating in endurance activities. However, the increase in muscle mass may be due to water retention and not an increase in muscle tissue.

Why have I been hearing so much about creatine and neuromuscular disorders?

Two scientific studies have indicated that creatine may be beneficial for neuromuscular disorders. First, a study by MDA-funded researcher M. Flint Beal of Cornell University Medical Center demonstrated that creatine was twice as effective as the prescription drug riluzole in extending the lives of mice with the degenerative neural disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). Second, a study by Canadian researchers Mark Tarnopolsky and Joan Martin of McMaster University Medical Center in Ontario found that creatine can cause modest increases in strength in people with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. Beal’s work was published in the March 1999 issue of Nature Neuroscience and the second paper was published in the March 1999 issue of Neurology.

I want to start taking creatine — is it safe?

For the most part, athletes haven’t experienced adverse side-effects from taking creatine, although recently there have been a few reports of kidney damage linked to creatine usage. No consistent toxicity has been reported in studies of creatine supplementation. Dehydration has also been reported to be a problem while taking creatine.

Athletes generally take a “loading dose” of 20 grams of creatine a day for five or six days, then continue with a “maintenance dose” of 2 to 5 grams of creatine a day thereafter.

What are the side effects?

Little is known about long-term side effects of creatine, but no consistent toxicity has been reported in studies of creatine supplementation. In a study of side effects of creatine, diarrhea was the most commonly reported adverse effect of creatine supplementation, followed by muscle cramping.18 Some reports showed that kidney, liver, and blood functions were not affected by short-term higher amounts or long-term lower amounts of creatine supplementation in healthy young adults. In a small study of people taking 5-30 grams per day, no change in kidney function appeared after up to five years of supplementation. Muscle cramping after creatine supplementation has been anecdotally reported in some studies.